Perfect for Petrolheads: 9 Great Videos featuring Bentley Motor Cars

W.O. Bentley’s aim was this: “To build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class”, and in 1919 his company Bentley Motors started to do just that.

Luxury and performance describe Bentley’s cars perfectly, and they are amongst the most desirable and opulent in the world, something to attain to and reach, a status-symbol, even.

I’ve tried to include a good rounded selection of Bentley videos here, because their heritage and cars across the eras are simply incredible. Enjoy, possibly with a cup of tea and a cream and jam scone.

1. Bentley Continental GT3-R

People wonder why Bentley created this stickered-up, very fast GT3-R, but what many seem to forget is W.O. Bentley’s aim; “To build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class”.

They’ve been making racing cars since the earliest days of the company, so this kinda makes sense, regardless of the fact some believe they should stick to what they do best, but as their trophy cabinet proves, Bentley can make fast race cars with the very best of ’em. The question is, does it work well? Chris Harris finds out…

2. Bentley Mulsanne vs Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG

I drove a Bentley Mulsanne a while back and I can, hand on heart, state it is indeed beyond anything you expect in terms of luxury. The drive, the ride, the cabin, is all about as good as it gets.

While cars like the Rolls-Royce Phantom can compete with its palatial-ness, can anything else? An excellent test between the Merc S65 AMG and the Mulsanne will show you why they can’t.

3. Jay Leno’s 1930 27-litre Bentley

Jay Leno’s garage is incredibly extensive and varied – a petrolhead’s paradise, and thankfully he gets given some amazing cars to review and show us too. On this episode, there’s a 1930 27-litre Merlin-engined Bentley. Yes, you read that correctly. Twenty. Seven. Litres.

Oh, and by the way, that’s the engine they used in fighter planes during World War II. And there’s you thinking your V10 8.4 litre Dodge Viper engine was big. Pah!

In the usual style, Jay takes us through the details of the Bentley 27-litre, and even takes it on a test drive. What an experience!

4. Bentley’s Past, Present and Future racing at Le Mans

There’s no denying the rich racing history Bentley have, and in that time they have developed, built and raced some of the most fantastic-looking cars on the grid.

The Le Mans 24hr is a special race for Bentley, and this interesting video explores it from the earliest days in the 1920s until now. Let’s face it, if Bentley’s beautiful cars didn’t line up on the grid, they would be sorely missed.

5. Bentley Bentayga. The world’s most luxurious SUV

Who would have thought a few years ago that Bentley, maker of prestigious, hand-crafted cars, would make their foray into the world of SUVs?

While the old money – and some new – protested and said it was simply a money-making operation, the Bentley Bentayga staggers all that enter its elegant and lavish cabin, because while it has all the benefits of a Bentley car, the Bentayga will also cut it really quite well over the rough stuff.

6. Bentley factory: the paint process

If you charge a lot for the car you sell, and are one of the most luxurious car manufacturers in the world, then you expect the paint finish to live up to those standards too.

In this fascinating video, we’re taken around the process of how Bentley go about painting and perfecting the final result of their paintwork.

7. How Bentley chose and make their wood trim

For the majority of carmakers now, the entire process of the car being built is automated. Not so with Bentley. Wood is a standout feature of luxury cars, and the process Bentley use – from physically choosing the wood, to hand-crafting it into the final product – is an amazing thing to behold.

In yet another absorbing video, we’re taken through Bentley’s wood-crafting operation.

8. How Bentley’s hand-built 6.75 litre engine is made

At just one single plant (and they have many), Toyota build around 450 engines per day. Bentley make just five or so of their 6.75 litre twin-turbo V8 engine in that same time period.

Incredibly, this engine has been used since 1959 by Rolls-Royce and Bentley, and it is still used in the Mulsanne. If you’re into your engineering, this is one highly interesting film.

9. A comprehensive tour & test of the new Bentley Bentayga SUV

There are lots of videos of the Bentley Bentayga in action, both on and off-road, but their aren’t really any showing you all the interior and exterior features which, if you’re a petrolhead, are of great interest.

This is possibly the most comprehensive tour of the Bentayga, and one of those videos that’ll show you what ever single button and switch does on the car. Grab a drink, and enjoy…